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The Use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Rubber Quantification

Kopicky, Stephen Edward
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1406122474

Abstract Details

2014, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
Taraxacum kok-saghyz and Parthenium argentatum, commonly known as TK and guayule, respectively, are plant species capable of producing high molecular weight natural rubber for use in industrial applications. Cis-1, 4-polyisoprene rubber is a vital natural resource providing physical properties necessary for the manufacturing of over 40,000 consumer products, and not duplicable by synthetic alternatives. Both TK and guayule can be farmed in the U.S, offering alternative sources of natural rubber with prospective economic benefits and improved resource security. Although TK and guayule have potential for domestic cultivation, improvement of agronomic practices and genetic yields are necessary to compete with the current supply of Hevea natural rubber. The objectives of this thesis were to: a) develop near infrared predictive models for domestic rubber crops, allowing rapid quantification of water and rubber content for breeding and experimentation; b) evaluate rubber production and growth of the current TK crop; c) employ hydroponic methods of TK root growth to determine fertilizer regimes for increased growth and rubber production, and to evaluate root clipping harvest methods for hydroponic rubber cultivation. Predictive near infrared models were successfully developed for rubber analysis of ground Taraxacum kok-saghyz roots from multiple sample sources (soil grown, hydroponic, post latex quantification), and water and rubber analysis of Parthenium argentatum through intact bark tissue. Both model types showed high predictive accuracy, with the ground TK model achieving a correlation of 0.89, while the guayule model had correlations of 0.94 and 0.90 for water and rubber, respectively. The use of NIR predictive technology is able to reduce time and resources needed for traditional quantification through accelerated solvent extractions, improving the efficiency of breeding and experimentation. Implementation of a hydroponic system for the growth of TK produced adventitious root masses with high regenerative properties and rubber production comparable to soil grown roots. Hydroponic growth of TK shows promise as a research method, and has potential to be employed as a year round source of root material, through root clipping, for continuous rubber processing. The current Taraxacum kok-saghyz crop contains significant variation in rubber content and plant size, requiring further advancement to develop genetic lines with reliable rubber yields. The methods of growth and rubber quantification developed through this research have the ability to improve scientific techniques for investigation of both species and for agricultural implementation, pushing Taraxacum kok-saghyz and Parthenium argentatum to the forefront of natural rubber cultivation.
Katrina Cornish (Advisor)
Josh Blakeslee (Committee Member)
Peter Ling (Committee Member)
144 p.
Agricultural Engineering
Natural Rubber; Taraxacum kok-saghyz; Parthenium argentatum; Near Infrared Spectroscopy; Predictive Modeling; Hydroponics; Rubber Cultivation;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kopicky, S. E. (2014). The Use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Rubber Quantification [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1406122474

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kopicky, Stephen. The Use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Rubber Quantification . 2014. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1406122474.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kopicky, Stephen. "The Use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Rubber Quantification ." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1406122474

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1406122474
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.